Natural Predilection
by Destinies Entwined
Summary: Over the course of the last couple months, something's changed in the hearts of two of our hosts. Haruhi's inexplicable ways begin to unravel the Shadow King. Set to evolve from the end of the anime series.
1. A Friend In Need

And so, after nearly a year of fangirling this ship something HARD, I have succumbed to my muse's nagging.

I humbly share with you my first OHSHC fic. Although I have read the manga, I will be taking this from the Anime's standpoint. More Chapters to come!

I love feedback, just like any other writer here. Leave me cookies! lol Bon Appetit!

~Destinies Entwined

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"That's a very intriguing notion, in it's own way."

A pair of steely eyes followed the petite brunette as she walked away from behind the dark strands that conveniently shaded his bespectacled gaze. His pulse had suddenly accelerated with the shock she just delivered to his system. The flowing hem of her pink shirt swished back and forth as she walked toward the escalator, her white shoulder bag bouncing lightly against her hip. He couldn't fight the smile that forced its way onto his lips as he gawked at her inexplicable ability to see through his emotional defenses.

"_It just doesn't make any sense…you go through all that trouble acting like your such a big jerk, when being a nice guy comes so naturally to you. It seems counter-intuitive."_

She had given him this shy, yet knowing smile as she walked away. It was in that moment that a switch was flicked. His shock only given away in a soft "humph".

_She saw right through me, just like that fool. _He glanced back over to the blonde sprawled out on the floor, willingly overtaken by a spastic golden retriever. _How do they do that? _

Kyouya looked back in Haruhi's direction, to catch her turning back to look at him as she descended. Suddenly his chest tightened and he held his breath a moment. The icy cool façade only tarnished by a faint glimmer of surprise.

_Is she…blushing?_

She could feel the heat of his eyes on her as she made her way to the escalator. Her senses on high alert, after giving in to the need to unearth the true nature of the so-called Shadow King. The flash of vulnerability in his eyes told her she had hit the nail on the head. She allowed her satisfaction to show in a soft smile as she left him there with his thoughts. The sudden revelation was a like a spark in her heart.

_He really wants to be appreciated for who he is…but he's simply been conditioned to keep his emotions to himself. _

The young honors student stepped onto the escalator, feeling slightly unnerved, and obeyed the sudden urge to look back over her shoulder to Kyouya, catching his pensive stare. Her heart jumped and her face tinged with a rosy blush.

_What is my problem?_

Little did either of them realize that moment had become permanently etched in their hearts.

During the following semester, weeks passed somewhat uneventfully. Though at one point, in the middle of a kotatsu service, Haruhi learned a little bit more about Kyouya, the beginning of the club, and how he and Tamaki met. She was a bit surprised at his admission. The story, though packed with information, gave Haruhi the impression that Tamaki's wealth of emotion had moved the reserved young Ootori to truly think outside of his box. _Or as Kyouya-senpai described it, 'painting outside the frame'. _

"_I got the feeling that if I shared his world, I would experience something different than anything I had ever experienced before."_

Haruhi smiled as she recalled his words as he finished his mellow recollection. She realized in that moment that Kyouya truly valued Tamaki-senpai's friendship. _He always has to keep up appearances with the others. _She paused to take that back as she recalled the last day of summer vacation, at the expo with Kyouya. Her face grew pink. _…except for Tamaki…and me._

As October drew near, they planned for the Ouran High School Fair. They prepared their tea services and other functions for the two-day event. Despite Tamaki's insistence on her dressing in a feminine manner, throwing fits of self-proclaimed "fatherly concern", the rest of the club ignored his selfish pleas. Haruhi spent virtually no time alone, unless at home. She'd stay and study with the twins occasionally. But even on a couple of weekends, she found her self wrapped up in the whims of her fellow hosts.

The first afternoon of the fair arrived quickly. Dressed in her suit, she served tea to fellow students and their parents. During tea service, Kyouya's father, Ootori Yoshio appeared in the main hall. All the hosts were occupied as the head of the Ootori family approached his third son.

The sharp sound of the palm of a hand meeting a face echoed through the hall, instantly silencing the crowd. Everyone, including the school chairman, who was in the middle of flirting with a certain female host, froze and turned to find Ootori with his hand still raised and Kyouya's glasses on the floor.

"Is this how my son has been wasting his time?" Ootori-san shot scathingly at his son. "You are an embarrassment to the Ootori name."

Kyouya fought hard to ignore the sting, keep a straight face and reclaim his glasses. He choked back the anger and embarrassment welling inside him. All of the hosts gathered around him, voicing their concerns. And there came Haruhi to his side with her big empathetic eyes.

"He wasn't upset with you because of the host club, was he?"

He couldn't answer her question without losing his cool. He swallowed it all down and drawled out a snide and vague response. "Don't worry about it," he waved off the insult. "It's not like I haven't been expecting this."

Kyouya disappeared for some time, while things began to unravel. During the time that Tamaki was designated to be Éclair Tonerre's personal slave, Kyouya began to plot a sweet revenge on his arrogant and spiteful father. He easily executed his plans under the guise of staying on top of host club business.

On the second day of the fair, after having been dealt a huge blow from Tamaki-sempai, the host club rallied to continue their service without their beloved friend and president. Haruhi was fuming at the audacity of Lady Éclair as she sat with her at the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ootori-san return to the Central Salon. He stopped behind Kyouya as a few noticed and watched. Yoshio didn't even glance in his son's direction before hurling more insults at him and, indirectly, the host club.

"When they're young, many assume they have all the time in the world. But really, that is never the case. Don't waste your time with something that will ultimately have no value."

Haruhi was infuriated at what she had just heard, knowing that her fellow hosts had a kinship that was invaluable. _No one, not even he, had the right to demean it. _There was no stopping the bitter retort about to spill from her lips.

"You don't know _anything_ about the host club," she defended. Thoughts invaded her mind of the twins egging her on, Mori-senpai's quiet strength, Hani-senpai's sweet pearls of wisdom, Tamaki's genuine enthusiasm for life, and Kyouya's deft handling of all the chaos that surrounded them all. He was the rock that the Host Club's house was built upon.

_He's done so much for us…for me._

"Kyouya-sempai works around-the-clock to make sure that everyone here is enjoying themselves. And did you ever stop to think that entertaining others might give each of us some fulfillment? How can you possibly say that what we do here is just a waste of our time?"

Kyouya was frozen in place. He was consumed by the shock of Haruhi daring to speak out against his father in the first place, never mind on his behalf. _What on earth is she doing? She's defending me? I don't dare speak to him that way, and yet she just stands up blindly against unknown forces…for my sake._

Then came the words that etched themselves into his heart.

"I don't care what you say. I think Kyouya-sempai is _amazing!_"

Never in his life had anyone fought for him like that, or given him such simple and meaningful praise. Coming from that particularly brilliant young woman, the young Ootori took it quite personally. After Haruhi's bold declaration, the elder businessman silently walked away.

As the fair ended, and having nearly lost Tamaki to his Grandmother's under-handed devices, autumn break was upon them. There was a sense of relief mixed with hurt and disbelief. It had been a very emotional couple of days for the seven hosts. But overall, they knew that their friendships would survive the turmoil.

They would have a week off before continuing the second trimester. After the events of the Ouran Fair, the break would indeed benefit their friendships.

However, as the handsome second year student had taken Haruhi by the hand and danced, thoughts began to swirl in his head. Her bright eyes looked up softly at him as she followed his lead. For that one moment, they were seemingly able to tune out Tamaki's jealous protests and enjoy themselves. All the while, his heart began to beat double-time as he realized how much he had grown fond of her. Only one thing stood in Kyouya's way: His best friend, and his blatant, yet still unrealized, love for the truly unique young woman. He really didn't want to hurt him, but in this case, a little competition would do the whimsical blond some good. Kyouya had been racking his brain for way to spend some quality time with his lovely dance partner.

To his advantage, the aspiring young businessman had continued to communicate with Ranka; who just happened to call after the ball on the last evening of the fair. Fujioka-san was informed of some general chaos, and how 'Haruhi handled herself quite adeptly under the circumstances.' Within the same phone conversation, Kyouya learned that Kotoko's anniversary was in a couple of days.

"_I know she tends to be very quiet about her attachment to her mother. But if you are around that day, I know that your friendship would be an unspoken comfort to her."_

The middle-aged transvestite's tone had be gently pleading, concerned for his daughter's well-being. Kyouya took this as the perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper, and get to know her better. The pang of pain he felt as he empathized with her strengthened his resolve. He considered the other hosts, but knew better than to involve them, especially Tamaki and the twins, as they'd do nothing but drain Haruhi on an already somber and emotional day.

_They'd just get in the way. _

It was the second day of Autumn Break and Haruhi couldn't shake the early rise that morning. The doe-eyed teenager stared blankly out the window at the gray fall morning. The sky reflecting the emotions swimming inside of her as she tried to grasp at the ever-fading recollections of her mother. After a few long minutes, Haruhi heaved a sigh and walked out to the living room to kneel at her mother's shrine.

"Hey, Mom," she began quietly as she stared longingly at Kotoko's familiar image. "I can't believe it's been eleven years already. I hope you can see everything I'm doing down here," she admitted, a thoughtful smile gracing her lips, "even if it _is_ a bit crazy."

She sat in silence for another minute, pondering what she would talk to her mom about if she were right there in the room with her. A tear slid down her cheek as the loneliness hit her instantly.

"You know, mom…the guys are my good friends, as annoying as they can be sometimes. Is it crazy that I'm missing their company after only a couple of days?"

She thought about each of her fellow hosts: Hani-senpai's predilection to impose sugary snacks on her; Mori-senpai's knack for saving her from uncomfortable situations; The twins' constant banter and endless supply of 'games' to play; Tamaki's big dreams and eagerness to do good for others; and Kyouya's…

Her thought was cut short by a shiver when she recalled staring into his smoldering eyes as he hovered over her that evening in the Ootori Okinawa villa. Her thoughts shifted to their inadvertent day at the expo, and then to their conversation during the recent kotatsu service. After discovering the depth of Kyouya's friendship with Tamaki, she had begun seeing other things he had said and done in a different light. And every seemingly friendly conversation or casual touch had begun to take on some deeper meaning. Although she didn't verbalize it, Haruhi could tell that the enigmatic host acknowledged her dimissal of his guise and he seemed oddly accepting of the fact. It was the way he would say something snide but give her a sideways glance as a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Kyouya didn't hide as much from her as he used to, and it made her feel…special.

"Mom, I don't know why…but I can't get one of them off my mind," she admitted aloud. "We have this unspoken connection. It's weird. He always tries to be the jerk, but I know it's just his emotional defense. He seems so cool and collected all the time, but his eyes tell me there is so much going on underneath. I can't help but be curious about him." She closed her eyes with a sigh and shook her head. "I don't know, Mom. Maybe I'm just going a little crazy."

_What am I doing? Why am I talking about this to Mom? It's not like she can really help me. But I can't talk to dad about it. _

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten breakfast yet. With another sigh, the somber brunette got to her feet and headed to the kitchen.

It was about nine-thirty when Haruhi had finished cleaning up after herself. She paused a moment when she realized her dad wasn't home yet from working all night.

_He probably went over to see mom before coming home._

With a flick of the light switch, she stepped into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. She was mid-brushing when there was a knock at her door. Not thinking much of it, she went to open the door for who she assumed was her father.

Suddenly, Haruhi found herself frozen by those amazingly dark eyes she had been thinking about just a short while ago.

Toothbrush still in her face, with a tiny drip of foamy toothpaste hanging from the corner of her mouth, she managed to mumble, "Kyouya-senpai?"

Kyouya smiled coolly with a raise of his brow. He failed to completely stifle his amusement and a chuckle escaped his throat.

"Good morning, Haruhi. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Trying to avoid sounding like an idiot, or accidentally spitting on him, she gestured for him to come in. She stuck her head out the door, expecting the rest of the Host Club to be clamoring toward the door right behind him. Once the door shut behind her, she raised her index finger to wordlessly ask him to wait a moment for her.

She returned, the toothbrush no longer impeding conversation. "To answer your question, it's not a bad time _exactly_, but-"

"It's the anniversary of your mother's passing. Yes, I know," he finished her sentence and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "That's why I'm here."

Haruhi was floored. She went to speak but nothing came out.

And then it occurred to her…

"Wait…did my dad ask you to come here?"

"Well, not _exactly_," he replied with a lilt in his voice, "I would say it was more of a _suggestion_."

"If you're doing this because my dad asked you to, you don't have to. I'm fine on my own, you know," she defended. "So don't feel obligated."

Kyouya's eyes flashed with disappointment, and he exhaled sharply through his nose.

He had forgotten lately, thinking about Haruhi more so than usual, that there was still that lingering taste of his overtly manipulative nature. _That's what she's quick to assume…but I thought we were past that. I guess I was wrong. I haven't proved enough to the contrary that I'm not selfish when it comes to my friends._

"Where's the rest of the guys? Are they off on vacation or something?" Haruhi asked with obvious curiosity.

The slight twist of frustration on Kyouya's face smoothed into a hint of a smirk . "No, actually. To be honest, I thought on a day like today, their drama would probably be more of a hindrance than a help. So I didn't tell them."

This thoroughly confused her. _Even if Dad had told Kyouya about today, and asked to keep me company, why did he choose to come alone?_

"I sure you are quick to assume that I am here purely on some opportunistic bent. On the contrary, I'm here because I know you need a friend right now."

Haruhi's heart skipped a beat. _ Kyouya-senpai's here…because he wants to be?_

"I…don't know what to say, Kyouya-senpai. I'm sorry I made an assumption. I'm actually quite glad to have your company," she gave Kyouya a sad smile as she revealed her true feelings. He placed his hand on her shoulder, in a surprising yet comforting gesture. They exchanged unspoken words with a knowing look. The spot on her arm tingled as she became hyper aware of the warmth of his hand. Her breathing became a bit shallow as she understood that he actually _cared_ about her. Kyouya sensed the growing tension and cleared his throat, snapping her from her daze.

"How far away is the cemetery from here?" Kyouya asked casually.

"About a twenty minute walk…or we could take the-" Haruhi was cut short by bespectacled boy.

"Let's take my car," he quickly suggested. "I kept the driver waiting, just in case. It's a bit chilly today, seeing as it's overcast."

"Oh-thanks, senpai, I really appreciate that," Haruhi said with a bit of a blush.

"It's nothing," he replied, buttoning up his jacket. "Shall we be off, then?"

They made their way slowly, almost strolling, down the rows of graves. She carried a small bouquet of flowers and some incense to burn. Kyouya noticed the dark aura beginning to overtake her as they drew closer to their destination. She grew uncomfortably quiet and he wanted to distract her from her thoughts.

"Haruhi, I don't believe you've told me much about your mother. I assume if she was anything like you, that she was a woman of conviction."

The smooth tone of his voice eased her out of the void she was sinking into. It was then that she realized just how valuable his company was, and why her father requested it. She smiled softly and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes gazed ahead at nothing, as if recalling something in a distant memory. Kyouya's heart softened at the sight of that look, which was full of adoration for the woman who gave birth to her.

"From what I remember, yes, she was," Haruhi replied, turning her melancholy gaze to him. "I hope someday I can make her proud."

Kyouya rested a hand gently on her upper arm, giving it a small squeeze, "I'm sure she already is."

His honest words were shock to her system, coupled with his increasingly familiar touch. It wasn't that he'd never touched her before, but today he just seemed unusually warm. It was like he was truly being himself for the first time. His air was still aloof and a little distant, but she felt like, for whatever reason, he was trying to reach out to her. And the feelings it awoke in her both comforted her and rattled her nerves.

With a nod, she turned back in the direction of her mother's grave and continued toward their destination. Kyouya watched for a moment as he relished the feeling of letting go of his calculated façade for once. The warmth of her smile and the connection they had formed in recent months had enticed him to this point: where he could truly get to know her, one-on-one, and share such a personal thing as the depth of human emotions. He started after her and kept up close behind the solemn young woman.

She stopped before a small memorial labeled "Fujioka Kotoko" and paused a moment. She crouched down to lay the flowers in front of the grave and, as she got back up, pulled a lighter from her pocket that she had grabbed from her kitchen to light the incense. Haruhi placed the sticks in the incense holder and stepped back. Without even a glance in his direction, she continued her thought from moments ago.

"Although Mom was always quite busy with her career, when she was home she never failed to spend as much time with me as she could. I never felt ignored or unloved. She would always leave the house in the mornings with a positive attitude, and tell me that she would do her best. I learned that from her…to always do my best."

Kyouya felt a small pang of jealousy, as he was always told to do his best, but with implied threats and ultimatums accompanying it. He wished that, even just once, encouragement in his family was the positive kind. Shaking the thought from his head, and realized that if he had someone like that in his life, especially as influential as a parent, it would be devastating to lose them. The slight feelings of envy melted into empathy and his heart jolted slightly. He never ceased to be startled by sudden washes of emotion Haruhi managed to incite in him.

Haruhi envisioned her mom, smiling as she walked out the door like she did every morning. Her heart ached to have her there with her, instead of praying for her soul. Her eyes began to water uncontrollably and she let the tears fall freely from her eyes as they slid shut. Wordlessly she lowered herself reverently to her knees to pray.

Kyouya watched in respectful silence as Haruhi unraveled before his eyes. It wasn't until he heard her sniffle softly that he realized she was crying. Before he realized it, he had knelt beside her, close enough for their elbows to brush against each others'. He remained quiet as he closed his eyes and pictured the woman in the picture in the apartment and wished her spirit well.

His eyes flew open at the sound of a sob escaping her lips. Overwhelmed by the urge to comfort her, his hand gently landed on her back and moved languorously between her shoulder blades. Secretly, Kyouya hoped that Haruhi would more clearly understand his intention.

Little did he know that Haruhi could, in fact, sense his genuine gentility and secretly welcomed it.

A few somber minutes passed and her tears subsided. Only then did Haruhi realize that her head had come to rest on Kyouya's shoulder and blushed as she lifted her head and wiped the remnants of her emotional display from her cheeks and eyes. Her breathing steadied and finally looked to her raven-haired companion. She cocked her head to the side and just took in his presence for a moment. His glasses flashed and revealed his gaze, trained on her in return.

"Are you feeling better now, Haruhi?" Her handsome friend asked placidly.

The corners of mouth curled slightly upward, giving him an unspoken answer. "You know, Kyouya-senpai, I'm pretty sure Mom would have liked you-err, and the rest of the guys, of course," she complimented, attempting to conceal the things going on in her heart. But being an equally intuitive person, he had read between the lines.

"Haruhi, do me a favor. When it's just us, there's no need for such formality," he corrected her calmly before continuing. "But, thank you. I'm sure I would have found her just as warm and welcoming as your father."

Haruhi got to her feet, Kyouya following suit. She paused; which he noticed and waited for her to voice her thought.

"Kyouya," she said, allowing a moment to relish the newfound familiarity before continuing. "Thank you for coming today. I didn't realize what a comfort it could be to have a friend at a time like this. I've always handled difficult situations on my own. But having you with me is…nice."

The chestnut-haired girl blushed as she openly admitted to enjoying the Shadow King's company. Her eyes watered a little more, as emotions were still running high. As she tried to hide her bleary gaze, Haruhi found herself being enveloped by two lean, yet firm, arms.

After the initial shock of her intimate proximity to the host club's vice-president wore off, Haruhi became acutely aware of the softness of Kyouya's jacket, and his clean yet earthy scent mixed with a spicy cologne. But rather than fight against it, she succumbed, fatigued by an emotional morning, and relaxed into the embrace.

_He's so warm, this nice guy that has been hiding behind the frigid shell._

Overwhelmed by the sentimental mood, thoughts manifested into words. And they spilled forth without her moving an inch, not even a glimpse to see his reaction.

"I was wondering when I would see this side of you, Kyouya…"

What she missed, however was the widening of Kyouya's dark eyes and the slight blush that crept onto his cheeks as she called him out on finally shedding his virtually impenetrable shell. His heart swelled with a warm feeling he didn't dare attempt to identify. But it made him smile, his need to respond honestly to her admission undeniable.

"You're lucky, Haruhi. Not even that idiot has gotten this much out of me."

She chuckled against his chest, feeling strangely proud of herself.

_Yeah…Mom would have definitely appreciated Kyouya. For all the same reasons I do._


	2. The SImple Things

**A/N: I'm BAA-aaack! It's been a long road to get back to writing. But this was my top priority. I've been working on this chapter since before Dan passed, but NOW...FINALLY it's done. So enjoy!**

**~Peace, Love and Fiction!**

**Destinies Entwined**

* * *

2: The Simple Things

The two high school hosts sat quietly in the back of the Ootori's black Mercedes Benz. Haruhi stared off into nothingness, lost in her thoughts. The tornado of emotions had her head in a spin. She mourned her mother, hoping to do right by her for the future. The sadness washing over her in overwhelming waves. Yet, the deluge intermittently ebbed by a certain dulcet voice that echoed in her mind with increasing frequency.

"_I'm here because I know you need a friend right now…" "Not even that idiot has gotten this much out of me…" _

As the sensation of his arms surrounding her replayed incessantly, a soft sigh escaped her lips, catching the attention of the equally pensive young man whose stormy eyes had been trained on the buildings passing by.

His stomach was strangely unsettled by his proximity to the melancholy girl beside him. He fought with his ego over his incessant urge to comfort her through physical contact. When trying to rationalize his behavior, he was always left baffled. All day, his hand seemed to reach out to her of it's own accord, defying his usual sense of self-control, to her arm, her shoulder, her back, and most recently, to take her into his arms. The warmth of her body, as he had gathered her into his embrace, had indelibly etched itself in his physical memory. Had he been indirectly trying comfort himself as he comforted the one who had been occupying his thoughts? And as Kyouya recalled that moment from only minutes before, he drew in a long slow breath trying to calm his building nerves.

But when she sighed, he snapped out of his reverie and quickly focused in on Haruhi, who seemed to be off in another world with her hands placed neatly in her lap. The sight of her, totally unaware of being watched and comfortably vulnerable in his presence, took his breath away.

His hand twitched again.

Haruhi's emotional rollercoaster ride was brought to a screeching halt by the sensation of warm hand covering her own. She inhaled sharply and turned to the possessor of that compassionate touch. Despite the calm visage, his eyes seemed to be searching hers fervently as they connected. Kyouya's mouth moved to speak, but the normally eloquent Ootori was surprisingly mute.

"Haruhi…" he breathed finally, trying to find his words. His mental acuity finally returned to him in a flash. "Are you hungry?" he inquired, his expression quickly masked with an cool facade. "I don't know about you, but I am definitely ready for some lunch."

It hadn't been quite what she was expecting him to say in that quietly energized moment. Though slightly disappointed, she put the peculiar feeling aside to consider his suggestion. "Well, I-I…I don't ha-"

"_Haruhi_," the bespectacled boy firmly stopped her before she could refuse. "Let's go get some sushi. My treat."

She went to protest, but before she could speak he added, "Come now, you really don't think I'd make you pay. I thought, by now, you would understand me a little better than that. This has absolutely _nothing_ to do with the club." Kyouya's gunmetal gaze was locked on hers as her eyes widened just a whit and a blush tinted her fair face. "Besides, I would like to return the courtesy you gave me back at the Expo," he said, finishing his thought and trying to assuage the heightened awkwardness.

After a long moment, Haruhi let her shoulders relax as she exhaled. "Thank you, Kyouya. That sounds like a great idea."

With a satisfied look, he turned to the driver and directed the driver to his favorite 'casual' sushi restaurant.

They sat at a quite corner table near the back of the restaurant. The sleek décor and neutral colors gave this higher end establishment class without being intimidating. The menus were soft black leather, vaguely reminiscent of Kyouya's infamous notebook, with "Roppongi Fukuzushi" embossed in golden characters. There were no windows, allowing the warm glow of the low-level lighting to create a relaxed atmosphere.

As Haruhi perused the menu, practically drooling at the descriptions of some of the specialty maki, Kyouya simply watched with thinly veiled amusement at her brightened mood. _All because of her favorite food,_ he mused.

"Oh wow, Kyouya, _this _one sounds _delicious_: kani, ootoro, tobiko, avocado, spicy tuna…_deep fried_ with a spicy sau-" she exclaimed, interrupted as she lifted her gaze to find him watching her, beguiled, his menu closed and off to the side.

"It's one of my favorites, actually. We'll have to get two then," he said smoothly, his expression unyielding. "As well as a sashimi platter…They have some of the freshest fish in Tokyo, so you _have _to sample it."

She nodded agreeably before asking, "What, may I ask, is so funny, Kyouya?"

"Just the fact that such a somber mood was completely eradicated by thought of your favorite food…Such a simple satisfaction," he stated, mildly entertained by her naivety.

Haruhi raised an eyebrow, "Well, 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.' Or at least Da Vinci thought so."

"Is that so?" Kyouya gave her an inquiring look, garnering a quick response.

"I took an honors course in European literature last year, in conjunction with my honors English class for extra credit."

"Ah, yes…I do recall seeing that in your student file when I did your background check earlier this year, now that you mention it," he admitted nonchalantly.

"You what?" she hissed at him. Quickly realizing who she was talking to, she let it go with a shake of her head, rolled her eyes and decided to hand him her favorite quote. "Anyway, the one that stuck out to me was something from Oscar Wilde: 'Simple pleasures are always the _last_ refuge of the complex.'"

"Are you inferring that I am complex?"

"Of course you are. You've just gotten really good at concealing it," she stated matter-of-factly, yet tossing it aside nonchalantly to address the topic at hand, ignoring the hint of shock that shone in his face. "But my point is,_ Kyouya_, that not everything in life has to be complex and refined to be enjoyable. Simple pleasures are often more satisfying, and balance out the complexities of life, if you let them."

For the second time that day, the youngest Ootori found himself without retort. He took a moment to ponder her words before a genuine question crossed his mind.

"Well then tell me, Haruhi, what would _you _consider 'simple pleasures?'"

His doe-eyed companion smiled softly as she began to rattle off some of her favorite things.

"For one, there's nothing like a good book-fiction, that is-to take one's mind temporarily to another world. Something I'm sure you could appreciate if you pried yourself away from your laptop for an hour here and there," she said with brutal honesty.

Kyouya merely tipped his head in recognition, urging her to continue.

"Well…essentially anything that makes you stop what your doing for a little while and slow down. No business, no studies, no drama…anything meant just to simply relax and appreciate the smaller things in life. For instance, a nice hot bath while listening to music; a good cup of tea on a chilly day; or laying out and stargazing…the company of good people."

Haruhi recalled many wonderful moments she had shared with good friends over the years, when finally it occurred that what she had just said could also pertain to this very moment. Her face grew warm as she realized she had just inadvertently paid Kyouya quite the compliment.

"So would you consider 'eating a delicious meal while having intellectual conversation with a friend' a simple pleasure?" Kyouya asked casually, the glint in his eyes betraying his cool.

There was no other answer to that question.

"Not considering the extravagant prices? Sure, Kyouya, why not?"

With a satisfied smile, he raised his index finger to summon the nearby waiter and place their order.

The teenagers both took their time enjoying their meal. After their discussion about the simpler things in life, they talked about some of their favorite places and things. Haruhi discovered Kyouya to be a late-summer and autumn kind of guy. He admitted to preferring the milder weather and the changing of the seasons, while discussing a random trip he once made to Fuji National Park with Tamaki.

Kyouya discovered that Haruhi was more of a spring and early summer girl, stating that her birthday, being in mid-winter, was always marred by illness and weather, making her impatient for spring. She reminisced about going to the Hanami festivals with her mother and father.

Their witty banter and sharing of memories revealed some random commonalities: Though they knew they both disliked sweets, they didn't know they both made an occasional exception for red bean daifuku. Haruhi enjoyed her spicy maki as much as Kyouya did (which thoroughly pleased him for some odd reason). Kyouya and Haruhi both considered Harvard as their top choice for graduate school; but knew that grades, high recommendations and connections weren't enough, in and of themselves, to get into one of the world's greatest universities.

"Besides," began Kyouya's addendum, "I looked at Columbia in New York City, and not only is Boston more charming and entertaining, it's cleaner. New York, though I would never discount it for a weekend visit here and there, as it _is _one of the greatest cities in the world for many reasons, often reeked in the warmer months of what could only be described as 'dirty toilet and severe halitosis.'"

Haruhi laughed herself to tears, "Well thankfully none of the schools I'd ever apply to are in the city. So…What's Boston like, Kyouya?"

Whilst painting an elegant picture of the historic city, describing it as the "Kyoto" to New York's "Tokyo", he paid the bill and stood, helping Haruhi with her coat. They made their way out to the waiting car as he spoke of going to Symphony Hall and meeting Seiji Ozawa himself after the concert. Haruhi couldn't help but imagine herself walking down Newbury Street to get a cup of coffee and wander through all the shops, or watching concerts in the park on the Charles River, thanks to all the things he seemed to know about the city.

After settling themselves in the back of the car, Kyouya turned to Haruhi, who was all smiles, "You know…I'll be heading back out there at some point during the next school year; probably during Spring Break. If you can get yourself a passport by then, you can always come with me to check out the school and the city."

There was a long pause as Haruhi's jaw hung slightly agape.

"But of course," he added in his best Shadow King tone, "it would be our little secret. You know Tamaki and the twins would _insist _on coming along if they found out."

The mental image of her trying to have an easygoing fieldtrip of sorts to Harvard with the tumultuous trio and shuddered. "Uh, _yeah. _ If I am able, I would love to, but-"

"Just _consider_ the idea," he said, cutting her off with a hand on her knee in gentle persuasion. "You really should start thinking about a passport anyway, since you will quite possibly need one in a year or two…and save yourself some spending money for a week or so. Everything else, you should know, would be taken care of as my family's guest."

With a sigh, Haruhi resigned herself to the 'rich bastard' she had begun to grow quite fond of. "It's a ways off, yes? I'd need some time to talk to Dad and figure it out."

"What is there to figure out?" he asked, challenging her flaky retort with a gesture of his hand. "You aspire to attend Harvard one day, yes? So, take the opportunity. Come with me and see it for yourself."

The petite brunette paused a moment, placing her index fingertip to her chin as she envisioned herself, walking side by side through the historic campus with her dark-eyed companion on a warm spring day. Her heart skipped a beat as she considered the idea that not only was she currently alone with him, but could also end up alone with him on the other side of the planet. _Why does that make me so nervous? _

"Just us, Kyouya? Half-way around the world? I don't know if my father would approve, no matter how highly he thinks of you," she said, bringing up a valid point.

_I wish…_ A little voice in the back of his mind said. He dismissed it, however, and proceeded to explain.

"Well, actually, my father and my brother-in-law would be going as well. They both have business ties in the major cities in the northeastern U.S: Boston and New York mostly, but also Providence and New Haven, where, coincidently, Brown and Yale Universities are located respectively. So we'd be joining them on a business trip to Boston and while father and Shido-san do business, we would be left to our wanderings. Who knows, we may even end up in New York for a day or two."

By this point, Haruhi knew not to protest any further. Kyouya seemed intent on taking her on his trip to Boston. She was excited by the idea of getting to see Harvard for herself, but was a little nervous that she would be traveling with Ootori-san, who she had furiously reprimanded only a few days ago.

Little did she know that her body language betrayed her nerves, and Kyouya, being as perceptive as he was, made an educated guess as to what made her apprehensive.

"Haruhi, there's no need to fear my father, it seems; even though you _did _happen to publicly tell him off. On the contrary, he seemed rather intrigued by you after the fair."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "How so?"

"He asked about you yesterday morning at breakfast, believe it or not. Though most of what I told him, he already knew: you are Ouran's token honors student, one of the highest GPAs in the high school, second only to mine, actually; your late mother was a famed lawyer in Tokyo and that you also aspired to study law. But then he asked how you came to associate with the club…so I told him. He seemed oddly amused, at least as amused as _Ootori Yoshio _could ever be."

"That's it?" she asked incredulously, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

"That's it," he confirmed with a small shrug of his shoulders and hint of a sly smile. What he would never tell her is that, though that truly was the extent of the conversation, he knew his father would never inquire about someone of her status unless he had some ulterior motive. In this case, it didn't seem malicious, incredibly enough; as Kyouya could always intuit when his father had cruel intentions. This baffled the third son to no end, but seeing as there wasn't an immediate cause for worry, he had put his ponderings aside. But, he would be sure to keep an eye and ear out to make sure he didn't bother Haruhi.

The sleek European vehicle pulled up in front of the apartment complex. Kyouya got out first and ushered Haruhi out of the car. Instinctively, he escorted her to her apartment door. Haruhi was secretly flattered by his chivalry, and wondered what his intention really was with all this sudden familiarity and closeness; especially to the extent of an invitation of a trip half-way around the world. In the back of her mind, a little voice dared whisper an idea. _That's impossible, _ she countered consciously. Then a flood of random moments between them played like a movie reel in her mind's eye. _Or is it..?_ The notion suddenly became harder to deny.

The foreign emotion that threatened to spill over as it welled up dangerously close to the surface got choked back in a timely fashion as Haruhi swallowed hard. Despite the uneasy sensations, when they arrived at her front door she didn't have the heart to shoo her companion away. The idea of being alone today, which over the years had been her modus operandi, no longer appealed to her. Without any discussion, she opened the door and gestured for him to enter. He did, as if having expected to stay, and contentedly made his way into her simple abode.

"Jasmine, Green or English?" Haruhi asked as she shut the door behind her, immediately removing her coat and shoes. Kyouya recognized the reference instantly and paused a moment in consideration of his choices. His eyes followed her as she padded over to the cabinet and pulled out her teapot and cups. She didn't see the ghost of a smile playing upon his lips as he pondered their innately comfortable interactions. Her natural intuition took the reins. The girl merely ushered him in and gave him his options.

Haruhi turned to see what was taking him so long to make up his mind, she caught the slight curl in his lips and the softness of his seemingly distant gaze as he was off in thought. "Kyouya?"

His eyes focused back on her and he quickly replied, "Jasmine is perfect on a day like today."

With a nod, she reached for the tin of jasmine tea as she quietly suppressed a wave of butterflies. _Why was he looking at me like that? Doesn't he know by now that I know his tea habit? Why does everything seem like such a novelty today?_

Then it occurred to her: It was just them. No stress or distractions. No situations that begged their undivided attention. Kyouya only ever seemed to relax when the sources of his stress were absent. Before club hours, immediately following class, Kyouya and Haruhi occasionally were graced with a half an hour or so of peace and quiet before Tamaki and the others showed. It had become normal to just relax with a cup of tea and take care of odds and ends before having to brace themselves for the chaos that would inevitably ensue. Unbeknownst to them, that habit embedded itself in somewhat of a routine. Why was it that she was just suddenly noticing it to be something special? Why, after weeks of not having given it much consideration, was she finding herself more affected by him than she had before?

Still wrestling with her thoughts, Haruhi glanced out the window at the gray, drizzly day before continuing to prepare the tea. Kyouya noticed her awkward silence and sensed a change in her mood, so he left her to her own devices and stepped into the sitting room. The table sat in the center of the room, with some cushions on the floor surrounding it. A mid-sized television sat at one end of the room beside a tall, crowded bookshelf. Then he glance over to the corner next to the doorway, in which sat the family shrine. The smile on the late woman's face was the same as the one that he'd had the privilege of occasionally catching on Haruhi.

_Ranka was right. There seem to be many similarities between Haruhi and her mother, _he thought to himself somberly, recalling the few bits of tender nostalgia the okama had previously divulged. The youngest Ootori felt words bubble up from his throat that needed to be spoken aloud to the spirit of Fujioka-san. His voice was low, barely a whisper, in pure apprehension, as he addressed the photograph before him.

"I hope you don't mind, Fujioka-san, but, I think I may…_like_ your daughter…" He paused, surprised he allowed himself to utter those words. "…She's quite the unique young woman. I know you would be pr-"

"You talking to mom?" Haruhi came through the shoji with the teapot and cups, startling Kyouya out of his private confession.

"Yes, actually. I was wishing her well," he replied smoothly, pulling his explanation out of thin air. She could tell he wasn't being truthful, something in the tone of his voice sounded almost _too _confident.

"I may be one of the few people who can tell when you're lying," she shot at him playfully. His eyes shone a hint of shock. Assuaging the awkwardness, with a quirky smile she added, "but whatever you and mom talk about is between you two."

His surprise melted away at her respect for his privacy. Kyouya nodded ever so slightly. _She never pries…well, except THAT day. _As he recollected the inquiry into his family, in the name of 'fairness', Haruhi poured their tea, handed him a cup and sat at the table nearby.

"A good cup of tea on a chilly day…" Kyouya murmured to himself, staring down into the warm vessel in his hands, echoing Haruhi's words from earlier. The thought of truly appreciating things he did habitually didn't occur to him until today. But as he stared down at the little black jasmine stem floating upright in his drink he paused. The last time he'd gotten this auspicious sign was on the night he and Tamaki had discussed their initial plans for the host club. Now here he was, regarding his simple beverage in a whole new light thanks to the 'audacious commoner' who always seemed to shock him out of his complacency. This simple pleasure, on this particular day, had a message for him. Had Kotoko heard him? Was this a blessing? _Impossible. _ But he suddenly had the strength to be as honest as the petite brunette who sat behind him at the table. _No time for fear now, Ootori. _

"To tell you the truth Haruhi, I was telling your mother what an amazing young woman you are…" As soon as the words left his lips, part of him regretted revealing himself so quickly. He didn't dare turn to look at her.

The room was quiet, save the soft patter of the rain on the roof and windows; and he could feel a pair of tawny eyes focused on the back of his head. The usually confident vice-president merely stared at the picture in front of him as he tried to steel his resolve to turn around.

"Well, you already know, along with your dad and everyone present during the tea service… that I think you're amazing, too." Haruhi's voice was surprisingly gentle as she reminded him of those words that had sent a jolt through him only a matter of days ago.

She had gotten straight to the point, and once again, this intelligent girl always managed to throw the oft poker-faced Ootori for a loop with her relentless candor. He shifted to look over at her, and caught a shy gaze he'd only seen once before: that day at the expo as she walked away from him. Haruhi was never one to back down from eye contact. But right now, she wavered, flustered by these matters of the heart. It seemed both of these strong-willed, intelligent teenagers had unwittingly forced each other to unearth their feelings. In that moment, there was a shift in the energy between them, subtle yet evident. It had been happening the last few months without them being fully aware of it. But now, there was no more denying that there was something manifesting between them.

Kyouya's sigh of relief broke the heavy silence as he turned around completely to sit adjacent to Haruhi at the table, who was giving him an awkward smile. He gave her a small smile, confirming that he had understood their exchange. He took a slow sip of his tea, retreating momentarily back into his cup. "A simple pleasure…" The left corner of Kyouya's mouth twitched, those three words having escaped of their own accord as he looked back up at Haruhi.

Haruhi caught the implication, easily reading the Shadow King as he revealed his heart through the tender apprehension in his eyes. No words were necessary. For the first time, she reciprocated the warm gestures he'd bestowed upon her all afternoon. Haruhi's hand moved to gently rest on his forearm. The newness of her fingertips making contact with his skin along the cuffed sleeves of his button-down shirt just below the elbows, electrified Kyouya's nerves. As he slowly drew his arm back, he turned it over so that eventually their palms met, warm and inviting, taking her hand in his.

"So, Haruhi," he simpered, a chuckle escaping him as he considered his words. "Since we've established that we are both amazing…would you ever consider being amazing _together_?"


	3. Cards On The Table

**Thanks to everyone for your patience! I never promise to update with any specific regularity, but I always do as the muse dictates. I hope you find this well worth the wait. a solid 5.5k chapter. Much love to Luxartisan, who's been my kindred spirit in the community for the good part of this year. She gets on my case when I get lazy or uninspired! The encouragement and discussion keeps the juices flowing. Thanks to all the reviewers and to all of you who faved and follow this story. **

**Here, go get your KyoHaru on!**

3: Cards On The Table

Haruhi froze, unfamiliar with how to react or respond in an emotional situation like the one in which she currently found herself. The ongoing feud between her head and her heart quickly escalated into a frenzy worthy of a panic attack as her pulse raced. Her words refused to form as she debated furiously as how to start her deliberation. The ache in her chest begged her to surrender to her feelings and indulge the fantasy of grabbing the dark stallion by his slender jaw and partake of his lips. However on the other side of the scales, her rational mind kept balance in check with hesitation in the instant realization of what this would mean for the rest of her friends and her life in general. She drew in a deep breath knowing there was indeed a middle ground and that the most honest answer to his question was simple.

"Yes…" she replied with a thoughtful smile, finding her confidence. "Yes, actually I would, Kyouya."

He smiled at her, relieved by her reciprocation. He squeezed her hand with words on the tip of his tongue, but they were quickly interrupted by the continuance of her response.

"You and I have a dynamic together that we don't share with the rest of our friends. But…" she hesitated pensively, leaving the deeply emotional young man hanging on that dreaded word. "I really can't jump into something right away. There are too many factors that need to be considered. So I can't say 'yes' recklessly to something that carries so much importance in life as a romantic relationship, especially my very first one," she explained in perfectly logical detail. Kyouya couldn't have expected any less from this young woman.

He sighed, raking a shaky hand through his ebony mane; happy that she hadn't refused him, but slightly frustrated that she would be one more thing for which he would need to work. Yet, he felt confident that if things continued on like they had been going in the last few months and today in particular, then he and Haruhi would be more than comfortable over a short period of time. Patience was the key. And if there was something Kyouya knew, it was patience. He drew in a deep breath as he reminded himself to remain hopeful.

"Understood," he replied simply. "But may I propose an unofficial, 'spending time together' type of situation?"

Her shoulders visibly relaxed as she nodded, permitting his further admission.

"I have come to truly enjoy the time I spend with you, especially in the last few months. And maybe it's selfish of me, but I want more of it."

She hummed in agreement through a soft smile, placing her cup back on the table to speak.

"This day is usually such a hard day for me," she began with a tinge of melancholy. Her eyes, the color of the tea into which they gazed, flickered with light. "But I can't quite say that of today," she confessed modestly. Haruhi looked back up to him after a few moments. And I am pretty sure you had a hand in that, Kyouya."

"Haruhi…"

Just as he had lifted up her hand which still lay gently in his grasp and was about to bring it to his lips, the kitchen door swung open with a bang. Kyouya and Haruhi jumped, instantly letting go of the other's hand. Ranka had arrived home for the evening.

"HARUHIIIII!" he sang, calling out from the kitchen, reminding her of a certain host king.

"In here, Dad!" she replied with a hint of exasperation. _ Impeccable timing, as always._

Ranka's smile grew ten times bigger as he peeked through the shoji to discover his favorite host sitting with his daughter. He flailed his arms joyously, "Kyouya-kun! What a lovely surprise!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes at her father and couldn't find the strength to bite her tongue. "Dad, I know you asked Kyouya to visit today."

The okama froze, caught red handed in his little white lie. He blushed slightly in embarrassment while simultaneously eying them, assessing the situation. "Well, I'm just glad to see he's still here," he replied, attempting to backpedal. "Did you two have good afternoon?"

"Actually yeah, Dad, we did," Haruhi admitted, surrendering somewhat to the heightened emotions within her. Kyouya nodded in agreement before she continued. "We went to see mom and brought her flowers. I lit the incense and said my prayers. Thankfully the rain held off until lunchtime."

"Oh?" Ranka inquired curiously to her reference to lunch. "Did you guys end up going somewhere?"

At this point Kyouya cleared his throat and put on his best host persona to answer that question. "Why yes, we did. Knowing Haruhi is quite the sushi lover, I took her to one of my favorite casual sushi bars: Roppongi Fukuzushi."

Haruhi thought her father's eyes were to pop out of his head. "Oooh! I've heard that place is top notch! How sweet of you, Kyouya-kun!"

Ranka sat down at the table with them and chatted about the day, about how school was going, and other mundane topics. As Ranka got on the subject of Kotoko and little Haruhi, an embarrassed Haruhi got up to escape for a moment. _Oh, here he goes again with the childhood stories. As long as he doesn't tell the 'potty training' story, I won't have to kill him._

She wasted a few precious minutes in the bathroom fixing her hair because the rain had gotten to it earlier, then decided to make more tea. After popping back into the sitting room to grab the teapot, the flustered girl deliberately took her time preparing the next pot. Her heart beat sped up as Kyouya's voice hummed through the wall. Although she couldn't make out what he was saying, the mere sound of it caused his earlier words echoed in her mind. _"Would you ever consider being amazing together?"_

_That really just happened, didn't it? Kyouya—Mr. Shadow King himself—just asked me out!_

As this revelation hit her, she couldn't, for the life of her, resist the smile that plastered itself on her face. Luckily she was facing the sink, and could keep her moment of giddiness to herself. The sigh that escaped her felt like such a release. The tension had been there all day; she had felt it and tried so hard to ignore it. But his sweet proposal brought everything to light. It hadn't been a figment of her imagination. That spark—that connection—was _real_.

Grabbing the tea, she stuffed it into the tea ball for it to steep in the boiling water and began to entertain the idea of eventually being Kyouya's _girlfriend_. Just the word alone sounded foreign in her mind. She was nearly sixteen and had never even kissed a boy before, let alone ever had a boyfriend. Then she wondered about the suave young Ootori. _Surely, he is more experienced in the ways of romance than me. What upper class teenager, the daughters of Japan's wealthiest, wouldn't throw themselves at Kyouya?_

A little twinge sparked in her chest. She pictured the guests of the host club, rich little snots with money coming out of every orifice, being paired up with Kyouya merely because of station. Haruhi had a flash of realization in that moment and her heart sank. _'Station.'_ That word represented everything she hated about high society. But it now seems that this doesn't matter to Kyouya as much as she thought. She shrugged it off for the time being, knowing that it would become an eventual topic of discussion for them.

'_Spending time together,' eh, Kyouya? I think that would be called 'dating'. I guess that conversation will have to wait for another private moment._

The tea was fully steeped and the aroma permeated the kitchen. She made her way back to the table with the pot and a third cup for her father and poured a cup for each of them. The two males were chuckling together and Kyouya had put on his classic 'host' smile.

"I knew there was a reason you're my favorite, Kyouya-kun: Intelligent, practical _and_ handsome!" Ranka exclaimed with a titter, causing Haruhi to retake her seat with a huff of exasperation.

"Seriously, Dad?" she grumbled under her breath before taking a sip of her refreshed cup.

"Oh Kyouya, won't you stay for dinner? You may recall what a wonderful cook my dear Haruhi is!" He offered without consulting his daughter. It dawned on him a second later. "So…Haruhi, dear…what is for dinner exactly?"

"I hadn't given it much thought. We only ate a few hours ago," she explained warily.

The okama, deflated, decided to excuse himself. "Well, let me know what you decide to do. I'm going to unwind for a bit. It's been a long day, and it was a busy night at the bar last night. If you'll excuse me, kids."

Ranka stood, stretched and left the through the shoji with his beverage in hand, leaving the two teenagers in palpable silence. Kyouya sipped his tea whilst considering the many things that needed to be said. He looked over to find her gazing at a painting on the wall with that same far-off look he'd seen so many times before. His mind flashed to a moment in the main hall the other day. He had looked up from his laptop to find Haruhi looking out the window in the same way, at the clock tower. Now here, it was if she was lost in her own thoughts, waiting for him to start the conversation. So he cleared his throat, breaking the silence and bringing her back into the present.

"Haruhi…" he began, trying to find a place to start. "I just want you to know, that today turned out exponentially different than I had expected. I came here merely wanting to spend time with you, and possibly assuage the loneliness you'd inevitably be feeling. Although it was inadvertent, please know it was not my intention to reveal myself so intimately at such an inappropriate time."

His glasses, which had been shielded by glare, flashed to reveal a somber look in his eyes. She could read them so well…_embarrassment, yearning, honesty, care._

"It's okay, Kyouya. I'm glad you did," she said, putting him at ease. "I don't think it's a mere coincidence that we spilled our guts…because I talked to her earlier today about you, too," she implied with a gesture toward her mother's photo. "Maybe she really is watching over me."

The hair on the back of Kyouya's neck stood on end as a shock zipped down his spine. _So, she's been considering me as well? That feeling that there could be something…it wasn't just in my head._

His look of surprise settled into an even smile. "Well, then I guess I have more to thank your mother for than I thought."

Haruhi giggled a little, agreeing with his assessment. "I guess so…but Kyouya," she said with a sudden change of tone. "I'm completely green to the whole idea of being 'more than friends' with someone. Seriously, I don't know a damn thing about it. I've never felt these things before, and frankly, it'd be an understatement to say that I'm a bit nervous. I mean, surely _you_ know all about wooing girls but-"

Kyouya nearly spit out his tea at her assessment of him. He swallowed hard and laughed aloud. Haruhi just stared at him, dumbfounded. He calmed down and wiped a stray tear from his eye.

"That's a good one, Haruhi," he said unable to hold back another chuckle. "As adept at being cordial as I am, I am far from well-versed in said 'wooing'," he stated with a dry humor trickling into his words. "You've known me for over half a school year now. Between studying, running the club and my own personal business dealings for the past year and a half, when do you ever think I've had time or energy for personal relationships?"

"Well, I've seen couples at school get matched up through their parents and whatnot," she rebutted.

"Alright, you do have a point. But in those rare situations in which I have been asked to escort the daughter of a family client or acquaintance, I've merely done what I would as a host, and treated the girls as I would a customer. I would never waste my time with those spoiled, self-righteous brats. Most of them couldn't carry a conversation in a paper bag…Idiots," Kyouya replied, the disdain painfully evident to Haruhi.

Then it dawned on her. "So…you've never had a girlfriend before?"

"Not unless you count the middle school crush I had when I was twelve years old. I decided to kiss her on the cheek one day at lunch after I had told her that I liked her. She walked away and never spoke to me again," he reminisced, mildly amused.

Haruhi breathed a very audible sigh of relief. "So the suave Ootori Kyouya got rejected? I would never have thought that possible. You are nothing short of brilliant."

Kyouya looked at her with a wry smile spreading across his face. "I assume it was more to do with having always been a bit on the intimidating side. I never noticed it when I was younger. Now I use it to my advantage."

"I must admit I agree with you. You had me scared out of my wits that day I broke the vase," Haruhi recollected with a giggle. "But after getting to know who you are underneath that threatening guise of yours, I could never think you scary." She took another sip from her cup and pondered the vessel of fragrant liquid a moment as the thoughts shifted in her mind. "Really, Kyouya, you are all right with the idea of taking things slowly?"

"I, unlike some people we know, am a patient person. I have had to be patient all my life…but that's a story for another time." He propped his drooping glasses back up on the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

Haruhi gave him a satisfied smile. "Good. That makes me feel better about this whole 'spending time' thing."

"Speaking of which, I unfortunately have to be on my way. I failed to mention that I have to be home for dinner with my family. My brother Akito is home from college on a long weekend. Truthfully, I'd rather be here in your company," he explained, pausing only to reflect on his conflicting emotions. "But it is expected of me to be there. My absence would be unacceptable."

Haruhi's disappointment betrayed her with a slight grimace. Kyouya couldn't help but be a tad pleased, knowing she was at least mildly upset that he couldn't stay longer. He smiled genuinely at her.

"Is it alright if I give you a call tomorrow? We can make plans for the weekend, perhaps?" Kyouya suggested as he rose to his feet, his companion following suite.

"Sure, I'd like that," she replied with her usual casual tone. "I have a test when we get back to school, so I'll just get most of my studying in before then," Haruhi explained earnestly as she escorted him to the door. The tall, dark second year had slipped on his shoes and jacket, finally turning back around to face the object of his newfound affections. She looked up at him wide-eyed as she anticipated their goodbyes. Haruhi's natural beauty always found a way to astound him, catching him off guard, and this moment was no different. They just stared at each other a moment, contemplating the immensity of what had taken place today. The air felt thick with things still left unsaid. Kyouya simply followed his heart and impulsively embraced her like he had that morning. The only difference was that, this time, she reciprocated. His eyes, which had slid shut as he went to wrap his arms around her, snapped back open at the sensation of her arms snaking their way around his waist. With a smile he relaxed as they stood there quietly for a long moment. Haruhi hummed against his chest.

"Thank you for today, Kyouya," she mumbled in the same tone.

He leaned in and nuzzled the hair on the top of her head ever so slightly, inhaling her scent to commit it to memory. "I'd like to think this is the first of many more, Haruhi."

She hummed once again, seemingly lulled into a stated of speechlessness.

He let go slowly, pulling them both from their daze, grabbed the doorknob and turned it. "I'm sorry, I have to go. My father will be livid if I'm late. I'll talk to you soon, Haruhi. Goodnight."

She nodded, knowing his father was quite the staunch individual. "Goodnight, Kyouya."

The door shut behind him and she sighed. _Did today really just happen? _She shook her head in disbelief, still unable to feel anything but strangely satisfied as remnants of his cologne wafted from her clothing to pique her olfactory.

Kyouya headed down to the car that was still waiting for him. Greeted by a nod from Tachibana, he got in and the car took off toward the Ootori mansion. He sank into the plush leather seat, as the day's events replayed on a reel in his mind. That petite intellectual had once again taught him something about himself and tested his personal strength. Obsidian eyes slid shut as he retreated to his mind's eye to envision her face, recall her words and contemplate the man he was becoming because of his kinship with her. Unfortunate the elation would be short-lived. For barely five minutes after being in the car, his phone rang. One glance at the caller I.D. and Kyouya's stomach turned.

_Tamaki._

All of a sudden, the ecstatically nervous butterflies he'd been feeling were poisoned with a nauseating sense of guilt. He let the call go to voicemail, hoping he could ignore his friend, as he was at a complete lack of an alibi for where he'd been all afternoon and why he hadn't called. But it was to no avail. The persistent hafu called right back.

With a hand to his forehead, as if anticipating a headache from the conversation about to take place, Kyouya braced himself for the inevitable. The dreaded green button lay just below his thumb as he inhaled and tapped it.

"Tamaki, what on Earth is so urgent?" he spat accusingly.

"Kyouyaaaa! Mon ami! Where _are_ you? I came by your house to surprise you, but I was told you had gone out for the day!"

"I had business to attend to Tamaki," he lied through his gritted teeth.

"B-but…your whole family is home…except for you," he said sounding rather dejected and confused. "It's just that they've usually told me if you were working or something, that's all."

"Listen, I have dinner with my family almost immediately upon my arrival home. Go home, and I will call you tomorrow, alright?"

"Oh, but your sister already invited me to stay for dinner," the blonde admitted.

Kyouya dropped the phone to his lap with a groan, as he tried to gather his wits about him. _This is just what I was dreading. Why couldn't this day have ended on that wonderful note as I left Haruhi's apartment? This is just my luck. _He brought it back to his ear after a moment to find his still prattling on worriedly.

"Kyouya…I know something's wrong. You are being far more irritable than usual. Fret not, my friend, you can tell me about it after dinner. I will see you when you get here!"

The other line beeped and fell into silence as the call ended. Kyouya sighed as he shut his phone, knowing that this inevitably would _not_ go well, any way he looked at it. That crazy Frenchman could read him as easily as Haruhi could. And when he'd be forced to come clean, he knows it'd do nothing but hurt his kindhearted friend. He had to do his damnedest to pass off today as if there was no other way for it to have gone, and make it sound completely platonic. Kyouya knew that if he said a single word that insinuated his true feelings, his uncannily empathetic friend would pick up on it like a bloodhound on a rabbit.

The car pulled up to the gates of the Ootori Mansion. Once the car was verified, it continued on down the driveway lined with well-manicured shrubbery and perfectly spaced cherry trees that, with it being early October, were beginning to lose their leaves. The Mercedes came to a halt directly in front of the promenade to the mansion's main entrance. Taking a quick moment to get his head together, he inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly and evenly. After having checked for all his belongings, the youngest Ootori exited the car and approached his elegantly modern home, with its large windows and sleek curved architecture. Kyouya was a tad surprised that the ever-boisterous Tamaki hadn't burst through the doors to greet him.

_Maybe the phone call took him down a few notches._

As the wary Ootori made his way through the main foyer towards the wing where his bedroom was located, a couple of voices stopped him short.

"I hope he's not mad at me! I know I almost left everyone the other day…but I felt like I had no other choice at the time. Thankfully everyone snapped me out of it…especially Haruhi," he had heard Tamaki say to someone on the other side of the door to the dining room.

"She seems like such a special girl, Tamaki," Fuyumi replied gently. Kyouya turned and headed toward the conversation. He laid his hand on the latch of the door and went to open it, but froze.

"She is one in a million, that girl," Tamaki said with a dreaminess that slapped the dark eyed boy across his face.

Kyouya swallowed hard, trying to settle himself. _She's into you… not him, remember? He annoys and stresses her. You just need to stay calm and stand your ground,_ he mentally reassured himself.

He drew in a deep breath and pushed on the door handle.

"Good evening, onee-san…Tamaki," he greeted with a superficial air.

"Kyouya!" exclaimed the blond, embracing his best friend as if they had been separated for decades. Kyouya stood limp and unresponsive to the affectionate gesture.

"Where is everyone? I got here as quickly as I could," he inquired, continuing to ignore his friend's doting.

Tamaki released him when he realized he wasn't getting a reaction from the brunet. Fuyumi gave him a concerned look before replying.

"Dinner's at seven, so you are just on time. Mother, Father and our brothers should be arriving any minute now," she replied calmly, a curious glint in her eyes. "Are you all right, Kyouya, dear?"

"For the most part…I was having a good day until I thought I was going to face father's lecture on tardiness," Kyouya said, concealing the real truth behind his foul mood. Without a second look he went and sat himself in his usual place at the table and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"Kyouya," Tamaki started with trepidation, "Wha-"

"I promised you we'd talk after dinner, didn't I, Tamaki?" Kyouya stopped the blond mid-thought, his tone icier than a midwinter's night. Though it had actually been Tamaki to suggest the after dinner parley, it seemed that he still needed the reminder to hold off. "It's not a discussion for anyone but you and I, and I'd rather not start a conversation that is sure to be interrupted."

That had put the final nail in the dialogue's coffin, and right on queue the rest of the Ootori clan entered the room.

"Ah, young Master Suoh," Ootori Yoshio greeted with a cordial smile, "Glad to see you remained in the country after all. It seems you would have been sorely missed."

Tamaki bowed to him and gave his thanks for the last minute invitation. Immediately after the formal greetings, every one took their seats for dinner. Kyouya was thankful that dinner conversation stayed focused on Yuuichi and Akito, and even occasionally on Tamaki, leaving a grateful Kyouya to stay quietly out of the scope of scrutiny throughout the meal. Though there were a few times that the raven-haired host felt his father's gaze trained on him, it surprisingly didn't have its usual stomach-burning heat. It brought him back to the previous morning when his father inquired of a certain young lady. Even then, Yoshio's demeanor lacked its razor-sharp edge. It made him incredibly suspiscious. Yet, the most unsettling thing was his father's current silence. It suddenly occurred to him that his father may very well have inquired of Tachibana as to his whereabouts at some point during the day. A thought crossed his mind for a fleeting moment but he dared not dwell on it.

The sound of Tamaki's voice snapped him from his ponderings, accompanied by sharp repetitive prodding of his shoulder. "Kyouya, let's go watch a movie or something," his oblivious best friend suggested.

Back at his room, the blond rummaged through Kyouya's DVD collection while the brunet sat back on his couch and stared up at a blank television screen.

"So, Kyouya, are you finally going to tell me what's been up with you the last few days?" Tamaki turned toward the bespectacled boy, an array of films in his grasp. "If it's something to do with Éclaire and the whole fair debacle, please just tell me. You're my best friend, and I couldn't stand to let anything ever come between us again."

Kyouya huffed as his mind rummaged for a good starting point to this dialogue. "Well, to a small extent, the mild offense which I took to you just up and leaving all of us still baffles and irritates me. You really are the biggest idiot I've ever known. You've been my friend for nearly three years and you have seen through my dry wit and sarcasm innumerable times before. Why you chose to take it seriously in that moment is beyond me. I'm just glad Haruhi was ultimately able to yank you back down to this planet."

Her name uttered between them suddenly seemed to have a different nuance to the both of them. There was a tension in the air as Tamaki's eyes had snapped to meet Kyouya's stormy stare. The ever-competitive Kyouya knew he needed to lay the ground work, and stake a claim in his own way and not let Tamaki get ahead of himself.

"Speaking of Haruhi," the ever calm Ootori began smoothly. "You wanted to know where I was this afternoon, correct?"

Tamaki's eyes widened slightly as he waited for his friend's next words with pained expectation.

"Ranka-san had told me last week, during our last check-in call, that Kotoko's anniversary was today. He asked me personally to keep Haruhi company for the day," he explained evenly, though his smugness shown in his eyes.

His one-upmanship was not lost on the Host King. Something was brewing, bubbling just below the surface.

"B-but, _I'M _her _Daddy_! _I_ should be the one to protect her! Mommy, you scare and threaten her! Why would she want to spend the day with _you?_" Tamaki was taking this as personally as Kyouya had expected.

"Lest you forget, Tamaki: Ranka is her _real_ father and has quite the disdain for you," he reminded the dense blond. "Besides, contrary to popular belief, Haruhi and I have become very good friends."

Violet eyes blinked in disbelief, as Tamaki tried to figure out how and when their 'good freindship' happened right under his nose, with no inkling whatsoever. His mind thought back and mentally scanned through days upon days of club activities. When suddenly it occured to him how much he saw them conversing together amicably. Then his mind flashback to the day at the expo, where Kyouya ended up spending most of his day with her because they had abandonded the 'hypertensive demon' behind in their excitement.

_And I left Haruhi and Kyouya behind at the fair...they had to band together without me...but still, they came for me._

Tamaki thought hard as he rested his chin in hand. He recalled how the two had danced together at the closing festivites, and neither of them paid heed to his own 'fatherly' protests. It wasn't until Haruhi had been handed off by Kyouya into his grasp that she even noticed him. His stomach turned at the thoughts speeding through his mind. He decided he needed to know more before coming to anymore conclusions. Tamaki had realized how much trouble that had gotten him recently. So he decided to press his luck.

"Well...w-what did you guys do today?" Tamaki asked quietly, trying to hide his pout.

The tone of voice he had taken on alerted Kyouya that things were definitely heading to a place from which he may not be able save himself. But he would be nothing but honest. Short and to the point, but he was unsure if he could flat out lie to Tamaki.

"Well, we made a late morning trip to her mother's grave and did the tradtional rites to honor her. Afterward's we went to lunch at Roppongi Fukuzushi. When I brought her home, she ended up inviting me in for tea," Kyouya replied coolly, giving him only the basic information.

"Oh..." Tamaki replied distantly, slowly retreating inward. He was fine with how mild the situation seemed at a glance. He was fine for athat moment until Haruhi's possible emotional state came to mind. He pictured her, crying dramatically on Kyouya's shoulder as he comforted her in his arms, which made him wish _he _had been Kyouya. "How was she today? Is she all right?"

"Well, as to be expected, she was a little off-kilter this morning, a bit melancholy in her reminiscence," he offered honestly. "But it was nothing that some friendly intellectual conversation couldn't cure."

Tamaki began to envision them chatting, laughing and smiling over sushi and tea, and this uneasy feeling continued to grown. It wasn't anger, but something different. His curiosity to dig deeper got the best of him. He could tell his best friend was holding back. He wanted, no, _needed,_ to know what he was keeping from him. The young Suoh decided to take on a more nonchalant air.

"I'm glad. You _are _quite the conversationalist, my friend," he said running a casual hand through his blond hair. "I've only seen her in action at the host club. What kinds of things did you guys talk about?"

Kyouya raised his brow at the suddenly collected halfer. _So this is how you want to play it, eh? You are still on a need-to-know basis, my friend. But I'll give you a little taste just to shut you up. Then this conversation is over._

"Well, let's see...after talking about her mom a bit, we moved past nostalgia into future aspirations: college, career and like...we even had a bit of mundane chatter about cuisine. There was a discussion that involved European literature and philosophy...Da Vinci, Oscar Wilde and whatnot. We talked about world travel, nature, the differences in class and culture...and even dipped into the realm of the afterlife and supernatural," Kyouya summarized thoughtfully and carefully. All of it was truthful, just lacking the detail that the curious blond desired.

Tamaki was quietly observing Kyouya as he recounted the afternoon's conversations. He could see the wheels turning behind those dark eyes; but knowing the kind of passion with which his friend was capable of debating and conversing, the calm and calculated paraphrasing seemed a little _too_ outlined.

_Why won't he just tell me? What has he got to hide...and why does it piss me off so badly that he spent an entire day with my...wait..._

And then the answers he didn't want to get came crashing down on him. Tamaki took it all in and recaptured Kyouya's stare.

Kyouya saw some sort of realization dawn on his friend's face, and he held his breath. _Oh, no._

"Kyouya...are you _falling_ for her?"


	4. The Best Policy

At long last, the next chapter! slowly plodding along... once again, thanks to all of you for the faves/follows and reviews! I'm totally stoked you are enjoying it! I hope this chapter satisfies!

Peace Love & Fiction!

~DE

* * *

Chapter 4: The Best Policy

The room had become a swirling vortex of tension, deathly silent and seemingly void of oxygen. Kyouya's inner voice began screaming a chorus of a singular, resounding answer. But his throat constricted, his voice failing to phonate. His hand clenched into a frustrated fist

_Why is it so goddamned difficult to answer him and declare my intentions? Do I want to kowtow to his whims and emotions forever? Not if I can help it. _

Yet, the ache of knowing he was about to significantly change the dynamic of their friendship, which had been working so well these last few years, turned his imminent words into razors in his windpipe.

Tamaki knew Kyouya's answer with the subtle flinch at his question. The inner debate and the faint glimmer of panic that followed added insult to injury. The weight that threatened to crush his heart was held aloft by the finest thread in anticipation of the brunet's response.

Clearing his throat, Kyouya focused in on what he needed to say. "Well...it seems today, Haruhi and I discovered that we share…" He paused, carefully choosing these crucial words. "..._mutual _feelings."

Tamaki felt like he was imploding, as if someone had just socked him in the gut. His gaze found his lap as he collected himself. "So that's a 'yes'?"

With a slow inhalation, he affirmed clearly, "Yes. I am taking her out on our first date this weekend."

Tamaki remained painfully silent as he processed Kyouya's words, berating himself inwardly for being so dense.

_It's my own fault though, isn't it? I refused to heed the calling of my heart. And it allowed the space and time for the two of them to find each other. Maybe this is simply destiny._

Tears threatened those violet eyes, but the host king kept his emotions in check as he looked back to his best friend. "This really hurts, you know," the somber blonde replied. "To figure out in the same moment that I am in love, and that you already have her."

The ache in his voice stabs at Shadow King's chest like a hundred daggers. Empathy. _Slash. _Guilt. _Slash. _A wounded friendship. _Slash, slash, slash._

"But the thing that hurts the most, Kyouya," he continued, "is that she apparently returns the sentiment for you, and not for me. I really thought that when she came for me the other day, that may have been for deeper reasons. But it seems that I am mistaken."

Both of these young men, sitting facing each other over the coffee table, were on the verge of tears, but fought hard to hold back.

"I'm sorry, Tamaki," Kyouya apologized softly, his head coming to rest in his hands. There was a lengthy silence, pregnant with the words the youngest Ootori needed to say in his defense. Finally the courage came to him, as he lifted his face to look his friend in the eyes. "Haruhi is the first girl to ever understand who I am. And yet despite me, she still accepts and cares about me. She's the first girl that I could ever consider an intellectual equal. And that's so unbelievably important to me," Kyouya revealed openly. His heart overflowed, terrifying him. But, he knew that if he couldn't spill to Tamaki, then he wasn't being truthful to himself. "To be honest, Tamaki, I've felt something between us for a couple of months now, but it has always been overtly platonic. So I never pursued it," he explained, shocking Tamaki with his genuine candor. "But that changed today, in a mere few hours of conversation…and now there is no way I could ever allow the most amazing girl to ever walk into my life to slip through my fingers," he said his breath hitching with emotion as he planted his fist on the coffee table. He breathed a sigh of relief, the emotional release washing over him. "I'm sorry that you hurt because of something I've done. The idea of hurting my best friend was the one thing that made me not want to tell you about today."

Tamaki gasped, the look in his eyes like that of a wounded puppy. "You weren't going to tell me?"

"Not until Haruhi and I had figured everything out. We like each other. We like spending time together. But we are just establishing these things and wanted to keep this quiet for a while," Kyouya explained with a sigh of exasperation. With one look at Tamaki's pitiful visage he changed his tone, "But you should know that you would have been the first person I talked to about it, no matter what."

The room fell silent once again and Tamaki gave a pained smile. "Well, I'm glad for that, at least."

There was yet another long pause in their conversation, when suddenly it occurred to Kyouya. "Tamaki, I just have to ask, out of respect for both Haruhi and myself-"

"Your secret is safe with me, mon ami. You are like a brother to me. And as heartbroken as I am right now, I could never betray my friends," the young Suoh replied as he stood up slowly. "But I really must be going. I need some time alone to think."

Kyouya didn't have the heart to stop him. It _was_ time to end this emotional dialogue. What needed to be said, had been said. Without any goodbyes or pleasantries, the Lonely Prince quietly made his exit.

Kyouya groaned as he settled his head back into his hands. _What's done is done. Sooner than I had preferred, but now…_ He sighed inwardly. _I'm going to have to tell Haruhi about this. _ He raked his hands through his raven hair in frustration. _But not tonight…I can't take any more._

After turning in for the evening, Kyouya laid on his back, staring at the ceiling in the dark. He attempted to quell his anxious thoughts by replaying the day's softer, more pleasant moments. It didn't occur to him at first that his mind had begun to wander as he drifted off to sleep, conjuring up the possibilities of what could someday transpire between Haruhi and him.

Charcoal eyes flew open in a panic, only to be greeted with the light of day peeking through the skylights above the heavy blinds that shielded the row of large windows along the wall of his chambers. The palm of his hand quickly found its way to his sternum, trying to quiet his rapid pulse. Flashes of his dreams returned to his conscious mind, realizing just how it turned into a nightmare.

_Light brown eyes glistened as they stared up at him, that familiar shy-yet knowing-smile played on rosy lips as Haruhi stood in his embrace. It felt reminiscent of their exchange the night before, only his once-latent desire to seek out her mouth with his own overtook his senses. The freedom he had felt in expressing what was pent up inside him was unlike anything he had ever felt. In his mind her lips were small, soft and moist; and he refused to let her go. Without any conscious recognition, the scene around them changed, morphing into the music room in which the host club held court. Suddenly they were surrounded by their friends and customers. Tamaki screamed in horror, alerting them to their current location. Between the shocked expression on the guys' faces and Tamaki's hysterics, accompanied by the shrieks of customers, it occurred to Kyouya that rumors would soon spread that he was homosexual and, paramount to that fact, all of his friends ,who were boring holes in his with their glares, would never trust him nor speak to him ever again. As he reached out to them, begging to explain, the whole scene dissipated into ashes before him just before he awoke._

In that moment, he understood Haruhi's hesitation. Kyouya had been fighting against the intuition that their burgeoning romance could destroy the host club if not handled properly. He also admitted to himself that he had to, at all costs, ease not only the two of them, but the entire club, into the idea that he and Haruhi could become 'involved'. The only way would be to consult Haruhi herself.

_She is equally practical as she is intelligent. I'm sure she would have an idea as how to deal with this. I'll need to talk to her face to face, however. This is not a conversation to be had over the phone._

As if the slight shake of his head could rid his mind of the lingering images, he rolled over onto his side and inhaled deeply hoping to reclaim the moment his lips met hers.

All week Haruhi had studied as much as she could, despite finding concentration difficult, thanks to a plethora of invasive thoughts involving a particular silver-tongued host. Kyouya had called her the next day to plan what they would do for their evening out. Though he had made suggestions for the theatre and other extravagant activities, Haruhi made it clear that she was hoping for something a bit more low-key. He agreed, and they compromised: Kyouya would pick where they dine, and Haruhi would decide what to do afterwards.

It was Friday before she knew it, and Haruhi still hadn't settled on what she wanted to do. She realized the evening before, as she brought her garbage out to the bins, that it was getting a little too chilly for nighttime outdoor activities. So she racked her brain for something they could do together that was both their style. She had considered just having them come back to the apartment and watch a movie or play some games, but that didn't seem 'date-worthy' enough. She considered all of the random amusements and recreation in the area.

_Too cold for a harbor cruise, or stargazing, or even the amusement park...the arcade? No...not quite. Bowling? Hmmm...I haven't been since Kazumi's birthday over two years ago. But that could be a lot of fun. Competitive, active, but relaxed and definitely more fun than sitting around..._

"It's settled then!" Haruhi declared out loud to an empty room. She grabbed her cell phone off the table in front of her and dialed his number.

"Haruhi, to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?" he greeted smoothly.

"I've decided what I'd like to do after dinner tonight, and I wasn't sure how a possible change of attire might affect us," Haruhi explained.

"Well, we are, as per your request, going to do _casual _fine dining, so we are going to L'As. My brother Yuuichi is well-acquainted with the owner so I was able to get us in there, despite the usual two week minimum wait. It's not the kind of place that requires semi-formal dinner attire. But I would recommend a minimum of business casual."

"I don't know if I have something that would suit both environments though. I don't think I could go bowling in a dress."

"I see," he responded with a chuckle. "Well I'd have to agree with you there, Haruhi. We could always stop back at your place before heading off to the bowling alley."

"You're okay with that?"

"Well, of course I wouldn't want to wear dinner attire to-"

"Not changing, I meant bowling," she corrected him.

"Why not? I can tell you that I haven't bowled in years, since we visited my uncle in California and he had his own private lanes in his home," he responded. "But I will admit, it was good fun."

Haruhi was shocked at he ease of compliance. _Maybe I intuited him better than I realized? _

"Alright then, I'll see you at six o'clock?"

"Indeed, our seating is at seven. See you then."

As she shut her phone, she mused at how easy it had been to get Kyouya to go bowling. _ I would never have quite pegged him as one to enjoy bowling...that was almost as easy as telling Dad I had a date with him in the first place._

Her father's lively reaction on Wednesday evening had been unsurprisingly smothering, yet accepting:

The okama had come home from the early shift at the bar while the studious first-year still had her nose in her books. Haruhi had apologized for not making dinner, as she had been so busy studying. But Ranka was always understanding of her scholastic obligations. Suddenly it occurred to her that she needed to run the idea of Friday's date by her father.

"Hey Dad, come here," she beckoned.

He popped his head back through the shoji from the kitchen, smiling sweetly at her. "What is it, darling?"

For the first time in her life, Haruhi was nervous to tell her father something. She always spoke her mind to him, and found her apprehension frustrating. "So I was wondering..." _Ugh, just spit it out! It's Kyouya! Dad loves him!_

Her father paused waiting for her to continue, but noticed that she was uncharacteristically cautioned. He fully entered the room and sat next to her.

"...would you mind if I went out to dinner with Kyouya on Friday?"

Ranka's eyes widened, sparkling with delight as his smile stretched impossibly from ear to ear. "YOU?! And KYOUYA?! Oh MY, that is the LOVELIEST IDEA I've ever heard!" He grabbed and held his daughter tightly. "I had a _feeling_ that you two were hitting it off! Oh, how _wonderful_!"

"Uh...dad," she grunted under the heavy pressure. "Can't...breathe!"

He released her and seemed to become calm and serious almost instantaneously. "When will he be coming to pick you up on Friday? I would like to speak to him and see you two off on your first date," Ranka inquired in a suddenly fatherly tone.

"Probably around six or so, but you-"

"No 'buts' Haruhi, I insist," Ranka stated with a flip of his long auburn hair. There was no more room for arguing, so Haruhi just let it be and left her father to make himself a bite to eat.

Haruhi slowly drifted back to the present with an amused snort and shake of her head. With one last glance down at her textbooks splayed across the table and floor, it had become apparent that there was simply no more studying she could accomplish. There was little more than a few hours until Kyouya would be coming for her. This realization sparked something in her feminine side, as Haruhi was surprised at how she suddenly cared about how she looked..._Well, at least just a little bit. He's always so put together, whether he really cares or not...I should do the same for a dinner date._

After rifling through her closet for a bit, she grew frustrated, not knowing what to do with her outdated and incredibly understated sense of style. She realized that she didn't even have the standard 'little black dress'. She picked up the phone, too embarrassed to call Kyouya, and dialed her father.

"What is it, my darling? Is everything all right?" Ranka asked immediately upon answering her call.

"Well, technically, yes I'm fine. I just need your..._expertise_," she said, hesitating as she searched for the right word.

After a brief explanation and discussion, Ranka decided that he would leave work earlier than planned, as helping his daughter look her best for her first date was of utmost importance.

What Haruhi hadn't expected was her father to go all out and drag her out to the local department store and find a cute casual dress and sweater combo. After the bombarding shrieks of delight and a score of outfits thrown into her arms to try on, Haruhi, despite her exasperation, had been glad her father was so eager to play stylist. She was able to settle on something simple, but colorful and tasteful. The dress was a deep plum, a soft cotton blend that flowed down to her knees, the top was a bateau neck hybrid with a slight cowl and three-quarter sleeves. It came with a wide, braided tawny leather belt to wear around the waist. It was complimented by a dark teal free-flowing buttonless cardigan. Upon her exiting the dressing room, Haruhi watched her father ponder her chosen ensemble.

"Haruhi, dear, what size shoe are you?" he asked he stroked his chin thoughtfully with his thumb and forefinger.

"Twenty-five, why?" she asked, but would receive no direct reply.

"Stay right here. I think I have the perfect idea." It seemed only moments later he was back with a pair of knee-high leather boots with a low heel that were almost an identical tawny color to the belt on the dress. "Try these on," he instructed as he pulled them from their box and wrapping.

"But Dad, these look so exp-"

"Shh. This is worth it. I can't remember the last time you actually asked me to go shopping with you. I'm so ecstatic that I can do this for you," he admitted fondly. He leaned in as if to whisper, "And besides you are going on a date with the handsome son of one of Japan's wealthiest families. Let me get you a decent outfit to wear, alright?"

Haruhi sighed, a smile creeping onto her face. _Dad really does care. How can I refuse him this happiness?_

"Okay...I _do _like these boots. They look great and they are actually comfortable," she conceded, refusing to admit to her father how good she felt about herself as she looked in the mirror.

She found a barrett that was bejeweled in the color of the sweater, and a necklace that, with its four layers varying lengths, consisting of beads of greens, purples and oranges on gold-plated chains.

The duo got home with just enough time for Haruhi to take a quick shower, change, style her hair a little and put on just a dash of makeup, as a subtle compliment.

The high school first year looked at herself in the mirror and felt enormously satisfied. _Hanging around the twins has been helpful after all. Who would have thought I could apply makeup and make it look good?_

It was five fifty-eight in the evening, and when she checked for everything she needed, she shut the music off that she had playing on her CD player. It was then that Haruhi heard an indecipherable conversation going on. _Kyouya's here already? Why am I surprised? He is Mr. Punctuality, after all._

Out of curiosity, Haruhi leaned an ear against her door so she could make out what was being said, although knowing her father, she already had an idea.

"I've always been able to trust you, Kyouya. I just ask that you continue to give me the reasons to do so. Other than that I hope you two have a lovely time tonight," she heard Ryoji giving the young Ootori a friendly but firm ultimatum. "Speaking of which, she must be nearly ready. Haaaaruhiiii!"

The sudden approach of his sing-song voice made her jump back from the door and smooth over her dress and hair before revealing herself. "Yeah, sorry, I'm right here."

She came through the shoji into the kitchen, where a quietly amazed Kyouya stood. He wore a neatly pressed pair of tan dress slacks and deep crimson dress shirt with a classy silk neck that pulled the outfit together. A sport coat slung over his shoulder. He silently scanned Haruhi from head to toe. The colors emphasized the subtle tones in Haruhi's eyes, as the flowing lines of the outfit gave her such a soft and feminine air. _The last time she looked this adorable was...that night back in Okinawa._ Kyouya swallowed hard. Suddenly that night took on a whole new light, as he recalled and considered it for first time in months. _This is not the time to be thinking about that._

"Haruhi, you look lovely this evening," he said smoothly, a small genuine smile accompanying the glimmer of appreciation in his eyes.

"Thank you, Kyouya," she replied, smiling back. "But I really can't take any credit for this. I really think the twins would be proud of Dad right now. He put this whole thing together." She gestured with a nod of her head in Ryoji's direction. The okama's lower lip began to tremble. He let out a cry of delight and hugged his daughter around her shoulders.

"My baby's all grown up! Wahhhh!" he exclaimed tearily, "You are such a lovely young lady, Haruhi! Daddy's so _PROUD_!"

"D-dad," she muttered, losing patience. "Dad! Please!"

Haruhi gently but firmly extricated herself from her overreactive father's arms. "I am very grateful for today, Dad. I love you. But Kyouya and I need to get to the restaurant on time. We'll be back later. Have a good night at work."

Haruhi grabbed her tan peacoat that Ryoji had bought her last year, and a small hand bag. Kyouya held the door open for her as they exited. With a wave to Fujioka-san, they were off.

In the car, Kyouya felt restless. On Tuesday, it had felt natural and a propos, out of comfort and concern, to be close and tactile. Yet this evening had a whole new nuance. Dare he admit it to himself: _Am I actually a bit nervous?_

Haruhi sensed his quiet tension. She turned and smiled at him.

"Hey...earth to Kyouya," she chuckled, nudging him. Snapping back to reality, he looked down at her with a cocked eyebrow, eliciting yet another chuckle from the doe-eyed brunette. "You know, it may be an official date and all, but it's still just us spending time together. I guess you seem a bit on edge tonight. Let's just have fun, ok?"

Her hand found his on the seat in the space between them and gave it a squeeze. It sent a shock tingling up his arm. It succeeded in easing the tension his racing mind was creating. But the lingering reminders of his impending discussion with Haruhi and remnants of the nightmare he had experienced continued to haunt him. _You need to just relax and enjoy the evening, _he reminded himself.

The ever-collected young Ootori heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, there's a lot on my mind at the moment, Haruhi. I apologize for letting it get in the way of enjoying your company," he said, returning the gesture with a squeeze of his own. His thumb began to lazily stroke the top of her hand, oscillating back and forth in a slow, lulling rhythm. _No...I absolutely cannot screw this up._

The silence became warm and comfy and Haruhi felt unusually daring. Refusing to release her gentle grasp, she decided to lean in and rest her head on his shoulder. Kyouya's heart jumped at the contact, then realized that was his cue to reciprocate. The scent of her shampoo and body splash wafted up, piquing his senses. Like a siren song drawing him in, his eyes drifted shut as his cheek met her soft, sweet-smelling locks and melted his worries away as the warmth of their closeness washed over him.

"You smell amazing, Haruhi," Kyouya breathed against the top of her ear. "Dare I say...'delectable'."

Haruhi blushed harder than she ever had in her life. The deepening of his voice as he spoke those words, caused jolts down her spine. He heard the soft gasp that escaped her mouth. "I, uh, it's just something I found at the mall...'Amber Vanilla something-or-other', "she rambled nervously. "But, th-thanks."

He laughed softly against the top of her head, quieting her once again. "It seems that I am not the only one who's a bit jittery," he pointed out gently. "That is oddly comforting, for some reason."

Their conversation from the other evening came back to her in that moment.

_"As adept at being cordial as I am, I am far from well-versed in said 'wooing'." _

Haruhi smiled to herself in the staunch realization that they were both so very green, and experiencing these awkward feelings together. She turned to her dark, handsome companion, giving him some of that secret smile in an attempt to reassure those pewter eyes that she understood.

But she suddenly froze, trapped in the sudden depth of emotion swirling in Kyouya's gaze. His thumb had simultaneously stopped moving and proceeded to hold her hand a little tighter. Her heart sped up as she read his face, which had softened with her recognition of his confession. His glasses flashed with glare, concealing the truths he wouldn't speak. Her fingers twitched, as the need to see his face more clearly dictated she do something she'd never dare do before.

Kyouya was taken aback as her fingers brushed his cheek bone, reaching up and grabbing his glasses by the temple. Slowly, and surprisingly without resistance, Haruhi gently removed his delicate spectacles to reveal the natural glint of his obsidian eyes that were usually hidden by the glare of the lenses. After a moment, she looked down at the glasses in her free hand and then back to him with a quizzical glance.

"Kyouya, why don't you wear contacts? I mean...glasses suit you, but..." Haruhi nearly choked on the words she was about to let leave her lips when she found Kyouya leaning in closer to look her square in the eyes. That night in Kyoya's room in Okinawa instantly flashed into her mind's eye, making her body heat skyrocket.

_"You can always pay me back with your body."_

Even though Haruhi repeatedly told herself he didn't say it to be serious, but his voice had been like velvet to her ears. The memory of his face so close to hers, with no glasses to shield the wanton look in his smoldering gaze, was now a taunting mirror image of the present moment.

"But what?" he asked with a playful smile wry smile tugging at the left corner of his mouth. The question leaving her stunned and not knowing how to proceed.

"I...I just..." she attempted to form words and failed miserably, her emotions lighting her whole body on fire with a new and overwhelming sensation.

Kyouya couldn't resist any longer, his dream still fresh in his head. Haruhi's eyes widened slightly as he closed the gap, ever-so-gently capturing her top lip between his own. Just like his dream, it was sweet, soft, and warm. He lingered there for a mere moment, tender pressure giving way to a incredibly light suckle before pulling away cautiously, barely giving her any time to react. Her flushed face was tinged with shock.

"Next time, give me a second to kiss you back," she demanded as her face settled into that quirky shy smile of hers.

She didn't have to tell _him_ twice.


End file.
